Nigeria, 13 African Countries Facing Drug-Resistant Infections

A new health report has raised serious alarms over the rise of drug-resistant infections across Africa, placing Nigeria and 13 other countries under the microscope. 

The findings, released by the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (Africa CDC), spotlight a growing public health challenge that threatens to undermine decades of medical progress on the continent.

The report, the largest of its kind in Africa, is part of the Mapping Antimicrobial Resistance and Antimicrobial Use Partnership (MAAP) initiative. It examined over 187,000 lab results collected between 2016 and 2019, revealing troubling levels of resistance to commonly used antibiotics in several African nations.

Among the countries flagged alongside Nigeria are Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia, Zambia, Uganda, and Zimbabwe, making up a total of 14 nations grappling with increasing rates of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). 

The data, compiled from 205 laboratories, paints a concerning picture: many bacterial infections are becoming harder and sometimes impossible to treat.

Superbugs on the rise

The study focused on key bacterial threats like Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, all known to cause severe and sometimes deadly infections. 

In Ghana and Malawi, for instance, there was an alarmingly high resistance to third-generation cephalosporins, a critical class of antibiotics. Even more concerning, over 70% of Staphylococcus aureus samples in both Nigeria and Ghana were resistant to methicillin, a frontline antibiotic often used in hospitals.

“This means more patients will need longer hospital stays, more expensive drugs, and more intensive care, if treatment options even exist,” said one of the lead researchers involved in the study.

Vulnerable groups at higher risk

The report also highlights which populations are most affected. People over the age of 65 were nearly 30% more likely to contract a drug-resistant infection, while hospital patients, especially those previously treated with antibiotics, faced a significantly increased risk.

The trend is especially troubling for Africa, where healthcare systems are already stretched thin and out-of-pocket costs for medical care remain high for many households.

It is a fragile data system

But beyond the growing resistance, the report uncovered deeper systemic issues. Less than 2% of African health facilities have the capacity to test for bacterial infections, and only a small fraction of lab records are tied to actual patient data. 

This lack of information makes it harder for health authorities to trace outbreaks, understand trends, or design effective interventions.

Many laboratories are still using handwritten logs, and the absence of strong digital systems means valuable data is lost or underutilized. While countries like Senegal are making progress in building surveillance systems, others, such as Sierra Leone, continue to face major challenges.

This is an urgent call to action

The study, supported by the UK’s Fleming Fund and the US CDC, is a wake-up call to African governments and global health stakeholders. Experts are urging increased investment in diagnostic infrastructure, data systems, and routine surveillance.

Dr. Yewande Alimi, who leads the One Health Unit at Africa CDC, described AMR as a “complex problem” with no quick fixes. “This is the million-dollar question for Africa, where do we begin?” she asked, stressing the need for both urgency and collaboration.

The report concludes that without swift action, antimicrobial resistance could roll back health and development achievements across Africa, leaving millions vulnerable to once-treatable diseases.